There's Always Eternity
by WeAreOceansAway
Summary: The decision has come at last. The separation is inevitable. But one thing is for sure, the group is not destined to stay apart. First Fanfic, please R
1. Chapter 1

_I walk this empty street on the boulevard of broken dreams._

_When the city sleeps, I'm the only one and I walk alone. I walk alone._

_I walk alone._

The separation wasn't completely unexpected.

A group of people that have risked their lives for each other, loved and hated each other, and fought along side each other are usually expected to stay together till the end of their days. However, sometimes these things don't happen. Life isn't always what it seems. When the danger is over, isn't it normal to want to return to their normal lives? For those who had followed Inuyasha and Kagome on their quest to defeat Naraku and return the Shikon no tama to it's original form, they craved normality. They craved the lives they had had before Naraku ruined them and in a sense decided mutually to try and obtain that normality.

The entire group watched as one of them left for good. There were tears racing down her cheeks to meet at her chin and drop unceremoniously to the ground. Her raven hair swirled in a light wind that betrayed the current mood. As the sun shined happily down upon them, the raven haired girl spun on her heel and without a single goodbye plunged into the well.

"Kagome..." The group mumbled quietly, but the young woman was gone.

No longer was that young woman a woman-child, but a full fledged woman. It had taken five whole years to defeat Naraku and return the Shikon no tama to it's former glory. Though no wish had been made upon the now whole jewel, it had been given to the hanyou to hold onto. He wore the jewel upon the cursed necklace; the necklace he had refused to allow Kagome to remove. It would be there keepsake, he had said in a tone that was unlike any Inuyasha had ever used with her. And now that she was gone, his clawed fingers gently touched upon the stone with a light clicking noise.

He turned from the well and faced the rest of the group. Though they had aged, it was barely noticeable. Five years had been kind to both Sango and Miroku; they looked as they had when they first met. The only difference was the scar upon Miroku's forehead, half hidden by his bangs, and the long ragged scar on Sango's neck that extended far below her navel. Shippo, on the other hand, had sprouted to at least Inuyasha's shoulder and his somewhat short orange hair had blossomed into a pony tail the length of his back. He had matured as well, and kept his tears well hidden from the others in a show of emotional strength he hadn't been capable of years ago. He too sported various little scars on his arms and face from that last fight with Naraku; no one had escaped unscathed. Inuyasha himself, though he healed quickly and usually scar less, had one wicked scar that extended from right shoulder to the middle of his hand.

"Well, this is it then," Miroku said, trying to keep his voice light. "I shall return to Mushin and see how he is fairing.." He turned to the others and bowed slightly. "Stay safe, my friends."

Sango nodded, though her heart sank terribly. "Stay safe yourself, monk. I might as well return to my village and pick up the pieces. Perhaps Kohaku has returned there as well," She smiled sadly as Miroku walked into the forest. "Hopefully I can rebuild my family's honor. Till we meet again," Sango quickly turned on her heel as the tears that had been trembling on her lashes spilled over to crawl quickly down her cheeks.

Inuyasha, devoid of all his haughty inquiries, glanced over at Shippo. "Where will you go, runt?"

Shippo shrugged his widening shoulders and bared his elongating teeth. "At the moment, probably to see my parent's grave and tell them of our victory. After that, who knows? Maybe I'll go see Ayumi again. It has been a while." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "And what about you, Inuyasha? Are you going to use the jewel and become full demon?"

It was Inuyasha's turn to shrug now. "I don't know. I don't think I want it that badly anymore."

Shippo noticed the sad look in Inuyasha's amber eyes and turned to nod at the well. "And the well...?"

Inuyasha kehed in pure hanyou fashion, though there was more hurt in his tone than usual. "Without the jewel, she can't cross back over even if she wants to...and she had made it perfectly clear that she didn't want to stay. I have no intention of going after her," Was that his voice breaking, or did Shippo's ears deceive him? "What's done, is done."

"Then where will you go?" Shippo asked, turning the question back onto the inquiror.

As an answer, Inuyasha turned to the woods. Where the hanyou was going was anybodies guess, but he had no intention of sharing his destination. In fact, Shippo was pretty sure Inuyasha didn't even know where he was going. With a little, sad sigh and a longing look at the well, Shippo started on the path that would bring him closer to his parent's grave.

The separation had been mutually accepted so that each could rebuild their lives, but in a way they lost pieces of themselves that their lives sorely needed. Shippo knew it, knew it better than any of them did, that their lives together shouldn't have been over so quickly. As he passed by brushes and dark trees, he once again contemplated their situations. Inuyasha was still alone, though he truly didn't want to be. Sango and Miroku never did confess their adoration for each other. Kagome never told Inuyasha how she felt. Life could not be over for the group; there was still so much to be done.

With those thoughts running through his head, Shippo caught Inuyasha's scent on the wind. It was faint, but he could follow it. With the sun going down and a new moon about to rise, a rather elusive plan entered the young fox-demon's mind. Perhaps their lives without each other wasn't yet meant to be. Stepping off the path and tentatively sniffing the air, Shippo took off to catch up with the hanyou. As much as Inuyasha was going to kill him, it had to be done.

Besides, Shippo missed Kagome already.


	2. Chapter 2

/Thank you for the reviews! With more reviews, come more chapters. Just so I know how I'm doing, you know? - Anywho, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Keep the reviews coming and the chapters will shortly follow! Ja!/

Inuyasha couldn't believe it was over.

Five years had come and went. Naraku was dead. The jewel, completed, was in his hands. He could become full demon like he had planned to all those years ago. He could fulfill his ultimate fantasy and finally be rid of his human side. But he didn't want to. In fact, he didn't even want the jewel around his neck. The new moon was rising and it had been his plan to change to full demon before his weak human side took over, but he suddenly didn't want to. Why? Inuyasha couldn't quite figure it out.

Leaping up into the branches of a rather welcoming tree, he leaned against the trunk and furiously drove the back of his head into the bark. Not just once did he slam his head into the poor tree, but three times, four, five; until the back of his head hurt bad enough to push the current thoughts briefly from his mind. He couldn't help but feel the anger, the betrayal, and the saddness that raged through his body. His soul was practically aflame with the depression, but he scoffed at it and tried to turn it into something else.

Unfortunately, as the new moon rose, the pain in his head became just as unbearable as the pain in his heart.

Black hair took the place of his silver hair. Golden eyes turned chocolate brown. Claws receded and instead became flimsy fingernails. He could feel his body changing as his superior hearing dissappeared, his superior nose became normal, and his demon strength slipped away. As the changes finished, he leaned back against the tree and stared up at the new moon.

"Without my nose, I can't smell her.." He mused to himself, lifting up the sleeve of his haori to tentatively sniff at it.

Inuyasha dropped his arm and growled unrealistically to himself. Unconsciously he fingered the Shikon no Tama. This was his link to her. If he wanted to, he could go and see her anytime he wanted.

"But no, she had made it very clear. She wanted her old life back," Though he tried to inject anger into his words, he could only manage to sound heartbroken. "A life without me."

Inuyasha sighed heavily and closed his eyes. Why in the world didn't he just wish to be full demon and get on with his own life? What was keeping him as a hanyou? He hated his human side, didn't he? He couldn't even smell Kagome when he was human, and he felt strangely cut off from everything in his current state.

I lost everything that mattered to me, Inuyasha thought suddenly and without provocation. His eyes snapped open and he bared his very human teeth at nothing in particular. Wildly, as he felt the all too familiar tears burning at his eyes, he turned to face the bark and began to punch the tree as hard as he could. Blood blossomed on his knuckles as wood chipped away from the trunk. He squeezed his eyes shut until all he could concentrate on was the pain in his hands. The lump in his throat and the burning in his eyes slowly dissappeared as he withdrew his aching hands and stared down at the wounds.

"You shouldn't do that, puppy," A familiar, hated voice filled the air. "It could attract the local demons and in your state that would be a very bad idea."

Inuyasha leaped off the branch to face the wolf demon. "Eh, what's it to you, wolf?"

Kouga shrugged, his features curious. "Let me guess, Kagome had finally made her mind up?" Though his face was curious, there was pain in his voice.

"Again, what's it to you?"

Kouga sat on his haunches and stared up at the new moon. "So she didn't choose either of us. How odd. I could have sworn one of us would win her over," He scratched his head in confusion. "I even thought she would choose you for a while there; at least you were half human, and wasn't human what she wanted?"

Inuyasha spun around and tossed a rather large rock at the wolf demon. "WHAT'S IT TO YOU!? WHAT DOES IT MATTER WHAT SHE CHOSE?! IT WASN'T EITHER OF US!" He howled in frustration.

Kouga seemed undisturbed by the display of anger and continued on. "Maybe it was because of your other miko woman, Kikyou was it? Maybe you just didn't prove to Kagome that you prefered Kagome simply because she was Kagome and not this Kikyou's incarnation?" When another rock wizzed past his head, Kouga shrugged half-heartedly. "Just making my observations. You see, I've matured over these last few years and have come to terms with Kagome choosing her own mate. Perhaps you should do the same," With that, the wolf-demon was gone.

Inuyasha choked down his angry yells and instead hit the base of the tree once more. Surely Kagome knew Inuyasha had enjoyed Kagome's company simply because she was Kagome. Surely Kagome knew. Had he ever said it to her? He tried to think back to those happy days when they were all still together. It was hard to bring those memories back clearly, because all he could see was her face. No, now that he thought about it, he hadn't told her. Could he have seriously gone five years without revealing anything to the poor woman?

His eyes widened. Perhaps it wasn't too late? Perhaps he could still go to her and explain? Perhaps they could all get together and-

Inuyasha noticed the demon far too late and the solitary blow to his head was all it took to call lights out.

--

Shippo peered out from between the bushes and an odd sense of dejavu overcame him. He was little again, too frightened to get in on the fight, hiding behind the bushes. Angrily, he pushed the thoughts aside and quickly emerged from his hiding spot.

The demons were ridiculously huge. Seven different huminoid looking felines were prowling around Inuyasha's unconscious body. Shippo quickly took out one of them with a swift blow of his longer claws at the demon's throat. It fell unceremoniously and bled out into the leaves. Nearing Inuyasha, Shippo injured the next demon and blew his fox fire at the others to keep them temporarily at bay. While they were occupied with the flames, he turned to look down at the unconcious Inuyasha.

The damage wasn't too bad. Something he would heal quickly once he became full demon again. At the moment, though, his black hair was matted with blood and there was a large knot on the side of his head. Shippo sighed and reached down to grab the front of his haori. The least Shippo could do was bring him back to the village.

As his hand touched the fabric, the feline demons braved his fox fire and started to take swipes in his direction. Taking a few of the blows, Shippo's hand caught around something on Inuyasha and without thinking he clutched it and tried to jump out of the circle of demons. But when he landed outside of the circle, nursing his deep cuts, Shippo realized he had only managed to take a few scraps of Inuyasha's haori and the Shikon no tama with him. He growled in frustration and turned back to the felines.

They were gone. Inuyasha was gone. The fox fire was burning itself out and Shippo could see the path the demons had taken. Should he go after them? Go after them without anyone's help? He cursed the group's separation under his breath as he limped off toward Kaede's village. At least maybe that old miko could help him.

His hand tightened on the Shikon no tama almost unconsciously and he stopped. Looking down at the pink jewel, a smile slowly crawled across his features. Wasn't this what allowed Kagome to come into the fuedal era in the first place? And wasn't this sort of his plan, though with less blood shed, to get Kagome back? Besides, she'd even be able to help get Inuyasha back! Though Shippo was pretty sure Inuyasha would get himself out of trouble the minute the sun rose, it couldn't hurt to make Kagome come back. Right?

He readjusted his limp and started instead toward the well. It was worth a shot anyway.

/I'm glad you enjoyed the story! With more reviews, I'll put up more chapters. Happy reading, fellow Inuyasha junkies!/


	3. Chapter 3

/I must apologize for the long wait. I have a new niece! I've been a little busy playing with her little toes, and her little fingers... sigh She's adorable. Anywho, here's the next chapter for those interested and again I apologize for the wait! Enjoy!/

Okay, now think. I've done this problem a HUNDRED times!

Kagome stared at the paper before her, brow furrowed in concentration. Her hand tightened around the mechanical pencil until her finger tips turned white. She could feel the frustration start to eat her alive as her hand started tapping the pencil against the desk. This was a math problem she had done hundreds of times in high school! She could usually do it in her sleep! Why in the world was she having issues solving the problem now?

The rest of the room was completely silent with the exception of pencil's scratching paper. The college entrance exams were nothing to scoff at and each person in the room was furiously concentrating on the test before them. Except for Kagome. No matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried, the numbers would not become comprehensible and would not go together the way she wanted them to.

She sighed heavily and put her pencil down, stretching out the crinks in her back. There was only twenty minutes left before the proffessor signaled the end of the exam, and this question was the last on her test. Maybe within the next fifteen minutes, her mind would once again function and figure out the answer to the problem. Otherwise, she might take that mechanical pencil and snap it against the desk.

"Kagome."

The whisper startled her and she snapped her head up. Was she hearing things, or was that Shippo's voice? Surely she was hearing things. The familiar lump clogged her throat and her eyes burned with tears, but she quickly swallowed them both. It had only been a few hours since they parted, this was her last attempt at the entrance exams, and it was still nighttime. Night classes always proved to be a little easier on her anyway.

"Kagome!" The whisper sounded more urgent.

Without trying to look as if she was trying to cheat, Kagome peered around carefully. No one else had looked up at the voice. She couldn't really even figure out where it was coming from. Suddenly, she felt a little tug at her leg beneath the college desk and couldn't help but allow a little "eep!" to cross her lips. She peeked under the desk and came face to face with huge blue eyes.

"Shippo!" She exclaimed.

There was a moment when she felt her control slip and she almost dove under the desk to hug the fox-demon. Instead, she meerly smiled and wiped at the tears that were now falling from her eyes. Happy as she was though, she couldn't understand how he had gotten under the desk, in her world no less, and couldn't ask at the moment. Pressing a finger to her lips, she leaned back up and looked back at the problem on her desk.

She could answer it now.

Writing quickly, she glanced at the clock. Only two more minutes. Two eternal minutes before the professor would let them go. She could now feel the body heat from the fox-demon as he cuddled up to her legs, pressing against the long fabric of her skirt. Kagome, problem completed and feeling enlightened, placed her hand beneath the desk and gently rubbed at his orange hair.

"Times up! Pencils down!"

Kagome remained seated until the rest of the would-be students dissappeared from the room. The minute the last one was gone and the professor had gathered up the papers, she allowed Shippo to sit up.

"It's so good to see you!" Was the first thing Shippo uttered as he launched himself into her arms.

She hugged him quickly, then pulled away. "What are you doing here? How in the world did you manage to get across?"

Shippo shrugged and Kagome noticed the healing wounds on his arms and face. There were some tears in his clothing as well. Did he get into a youkai fight? Her curiousity was dampened by the sudden fear that flew through her. He could have been killed! Where were the others when-

Again, the torment of that final goodbye resurfaced and guilt started to run through her. They had been a family, taking care of each other and strengthening each other's weaknesses. When they were apart, which no doubt the others had gone their own seperate ways as well, the weaknesses they had came back full force. Why in the world had they decided to split up again? Kagome looked around the room and sighed heavily. Just so she could go to college? Was she really that selfish to believe that the others would be fine while she tried to live a normal life in her world? Those others depended on her just as much as she depended on them.

"Inuyasha got himself kidnapped," Shippo said quickly, pulling the Shikon no Tama from one of his many pockets. "I tried to help him, but I was outnumbered. Instead, all I could get away with was the Shikon no Tama and since I know it brings me back here..." He let the rest sink in.

Kagome felt her eyes widen. Tonight was a new moon! Inuyasha had been kidnapped? Worry and that cumbersome guilt rekindled and she could feel her hand tightening as if she still had her bow with her. Shippo had risked everything to come and find her in her own world to tell her, which meant things were serious indeed. But what had the youkai even wanted with Inuyasha in the first place? Sesshoumaru certaintly wouldn't use other youkai to dispense of his brother while he was vulnerable; even that dog-demon had a better sense of honor than that. So was this a random attack, or was there something else going on that the others needed to know about? It was no big secret that Inuyasha's group had defeated Naraku; would there be some youkai who would still despise them for such a feat?

Standing, Kagome walked briskly out into the isle. "We're going back. Shippo, however you got here without being noticed is probably how you should leave. Meet me back at my house; I just need to grab a few supplies."

Shippo nodded extatically and was out the window in seconds. Well, at least she knew how he had gotten in. Her thoughts were now on what she should bring back with her to the Feudal Era and how she would explain it to her mother. But, as she left the classroom behind, she was bombarded by her friends.

"How was the test? I found it pretty easy despite-"

"Kagome, why do you look so pale? Did you-"

"That last question was so easy-"

"Didn't even feel like-"

"Can't wait for-"

"-results be up soon-"

"-question 7? Anyone know-"

They crowded her and she couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. Ever since she had started entering the feudal era, she had wished she could go back to just being worried about tests and homework and papers. But now...she wasn't so sure she wanted to go back to all that. It was just too simple to believe all youkai were made-up stories to scare children or teach a moral. It was too simple to go back to worrying about which boy likes who or which math equation the world could do without when there were people's lives at risk every day and she could do something about it. At first, it had seemed a simple goal to return to her world and forget about Inuyasha's, but now she definately wasn't so sure it was even possible.

Raising her hands up, Kagome tried to catch their attention. "I'm sorry, I would love to stay and chat but I have to get going. I promised Souta I'd pick him up when the test was over."

She saw her friend's expressions fall, but couldn't muster up the extra energy to worry about it. "But we were all going out to celebrate..."

"I'm really sorry. Maybe another time?" Kagome offered. Would there really be another time, though?

They all nodded, but didn't seem too interested. Over the years, they had gotten used to Kagome not really participating in their shared events. She had always been so sick. Thus, they didn't really think there would be another time either and were prepared for it.

After a few shared goodbyes and good lucks, Kagome was on her bike and speeding for home.

/Well, there you have it! What's gonna happen next? - Please R&R!/


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